Crispy Chili Lime Chickpea Nuggets (Printable Version)
Crunchy baked chickpea bites with bold chili-lime flavor, perfect for snacking or serving as a crowd-pleasing appetizer.
# Ingredient List:
→ Chickpea Mixture
01 - 2 cups (330 g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon chili powder
05 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - Zest of 1 lime
09 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
11 - 1/2 cup (60 g) breadcrumbs (use gluten-free if needed)
12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
→ Coating
13 - 1/2 cup (60 g) breadcrumbs
14 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
16 - Zest of 1/2 lime
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a food processor, combine the drained chickpeas, chopped red onion, minced garlic, chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, salt, lime zest, lime juice, and fresh cilantro. Pulse until the mixture is mostly smooth but still retains some texture.
03 - Transfer the processed mixture to a mixing bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs until evenly combined and the mixture holds together.
04 - Using your hands, scoop approximately 1 tablespoon of the mixture at a time and shape into 20 small nuggets, pressing firmly so they hold their shape.
05 - In a shallow bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs, chili powder, salt, and lime zest for the coating. Mix until evenly distributed.
06 - Roll each formed nugget in the breadcrumb coating mixture, pressing gently to help the crumbs adhere to all sides.
07 - Place the coated nuggets on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly. Drizzle or brush each nugget with olive oil to promote even browning.
08 - Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, flipping the nuggets halfway through the cooking time, until they are golden brown and crispy on the outside.
09 - Remove from the oven and serve warm with extra lime wedges or your preferred dipping sauce.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- These nuggets get legitimately crispy in the oven without any frying or complicated breading stations.
- The lime and smoked paprika combination makes them taste like something you would order at a trendy restaurant, except they cost almost nothing to make.
02 -
- Do not skip draining and rinsing the chickpeas thoroughly because the canned liquid will make your mixture too wet to hold together.
- Flipping the nuggets exactly halfway through baking is the difference between one crispy side and a fully crunchy exterior all around.
03 -
- If the mixture feels too wet to shape add breadcrumbs one tablespoon at a time until it firms up because humidity and chickpea brands vary.
- For an even crispier exterior try the air fryer at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes which gives results that rival deep frying.